Conveyer



July 28, 1936. I J. B. TIEDEMANN 2,048,960

CONVEYER Original Filed Dec. 10, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 g N INVENTOR.

Julius B. fi'edemann ATTORNEY.

July 28, 1936.

B. TIEDEMANN CONVEYER Original Filed Dec.

10, 1 950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Julius B. Tz'eclemann 45 WATTORNEY..

July 28, 1936. J. B. TIEDEMANN CONVEYER Original Filed Dec. 10 1930 4Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY.

Julius B. Tz'edemann wnlm Patented July 28, 1936 PATENT or ies CONVEYERJulius B. Tiedemann, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to A. 0. SmithCorporation, Milwaukee, Wis; a corporation of New York Originalapplication December 10,1930, Serial No. 501,301. Divided and thisapplication January 31, 1935,, Serial No. 4,402

14 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in conveyer systems and moreparticularly to the transporting and conveying of parts such asautomobile frames in the course of manufacture. In this manufacture theframe elements are conveyed upon trucks which move forwardintermittently to present the elements to different successive workstations.

I This application constitutes a division of 5.00- pending application,Serial No. 501,301, filed December 10, 1930, by Birger T. Andren andJulius B. Tiedemann, for Art of manufacturing composite structures, andis directed more particularly to the conveyer mechanism there disclosed.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved and more simplemechanism for transfer ring the conveyer trucks from .one track toanother. i 7,

Other objects Willappear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention, ands Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conveyer system employing theinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view showing one end of the system;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged end view partially in sec- .tionof a part of thesystem;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view partially in section showing the endtransfer mechanism;

. Fig. 5 is a partial view similar to Fig. 4 showing the mechanism inanother position of operation; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional viewtaken on the line'66 of Fig. 5.

The conveyer system illustrated comprises two parallel sets of tracks Iand 2, and a plurality of trucks 3 disposed thereon for movementtherealong in the direction of the arrows in Fig. l. The truckspreferably move intermittently, althoughthey may move continuously, andthe construction of the trucks and main drive there- ;for may be of anysuitable nature consistent with the features of the present invention.

In a factory, it is generally undesirable from requirements in economyin space to provide a continuous track circuit, it being of advantage tohave two parallel sets of tracks, one for advancing the trucks in onedirection and the other ir returning the trucks in the other direction.In

such case it is necessary to provide some means for readily transferringthe trucks from the end of one set of tracks to the end of the otherset.

The -present invention relates to an improvement in such trucktransferring mechanism. The

.inventionhas-been employed in a system employing relatively largetrucks as in the manufacture of automobile frames, and by reason of thelarge masses involved the problem of vibration and chatter is a largefactor. Heretofore, attempts to transfer the trucks fromone tracklaterally to another have not fully eliminated this difiiculty.

In carrying out the invention, the lateral transfer mechanism providesfor uniform and smooth acceleration and retardation of the truck, and 1.means are provided at each end of the truck to eiiect equal movement ofboth ends so as to prevent chatter.

The trucks 3 consist of a body A supported by four flanged wheels 5which run on the conveyer "tracks I and 2. The trucks may be propelledalong the tracks by any suitable means, that illustrated consisting of areciprocating drive tube 6 extending longitudinally beneath the trucksof each set of tracks and having suitable 'jaws'l thereon each of whichis adapted to grip a lug 8 at the end of each truck. The jaws l areactuated automatically and simultaneously to grip the respective lugs 8and advance the trucks the distance between operating stations. The 5jaws 1 then release the trucks and an automatic doweling system (notshown) accurately positions the trucks for work performing operationswhile the tube 6 returns to starting position.

As shown in Fig. 1, a supplemental track 9 is provided at the startingend of track I, a supplemental track H1 is provided at the other end oftrack I, a supplemental track H is provided at the starting end of track2, adjacent to track Ill, and a supplemental track i2 is provided at thefinishing end of track 2 adjacent track 9. These supplemental tracks 9,IO, M and E2 are spaced from the respective ends of tracks I and 2 andare in alignment therewith. Each supplemental track is of a length forreceiving and supporting one truck. 'The trucks are successivelytransferred laterally from track It! to track H and also from track I2to track 9 during the return stroke of tube 6.

The lateral transfer mechanism is the same at each end of the conveyersystemand therefore will be described in detail as illustrated inFigures 2 to 6 for transferring trucks from track H) to track H. Themechanism comprises a transverse skid or track l3 at each end of thesupplemental tracks l0 and II and extending laterally therebetween, androtating screw drums l4 extending parallel with and adjacent the tracksIS. The truck 3 is supported on the tracks I3 while the screws l4 propelit laterally from track I 0 to track I l.

The trucks 3 are provided with auxiliary skid shoes IE5 at each endadapted to slide upon the skids l3 and having downwardly extendingflanges l6 for holding the trucks in position during transfer. Thetrucks are also provided at each end with a central roller I! having avertical axis and adapted to ride in the screw groove l8 formed by theflanges IS on the drums [4 to propel the truck laterally. At each end ofthe drums M a circumferential raceway 20 is provided to receive therollers I1, and the screw groove I8 merges gradually into the raceways20 to provide for gradual acceleration and retardation of the truck.

The screw drums M are constantly rotated at the same speed, but inopposite directions and the screw grooves I8 on the respective drumsextend spirally around the drums in opposite directions, so that bothends of the truck 3 are moved laterally at the same speed, and with thesame acceleration and retardation of movement at the ends.

When a truck 3 is in position on track it ready for lateral transfer,the track i0 is lowered to place the truck onto the skids i3 and therollers I! are thereby lowered into the circumferential raceways 29 fromwhich they pass into the screw grooves l8 effecting lateral movement ofthe truck. The track H is in lowered position ready to receive thetruck, and as the latter reaches a position over track II with therollers l! in the circumferential raceways 20, the track I I is raised,lifting the truck from skids I3 and the rollers are raised out of theraceways 20. The truck is lifted to a level corresponding with those ontrack 2 and is then advanced onto and along track 2.

The tracks 18 and H are raised and lowered in timed sequence to theoperation of the conveyer system and the tubes 6. For this purpose thetrack I 0 is supported on cranks 2! at each end with vertical pins 22serving as guides to hold the tracks in position. The cranks 2! areoperated from a lever 23 riding on a rotating cam 24 shown in detail inFig. 4. The cam 24 is rotated through a train of gears from a main driveshaft 25 which also drives the screw drums i4 and which is driven fromthe main power source that drives the tubes 6. Thus, the entiremechanism operates in synchronism. Tracks 9, II and I2 are raised andlowered in the same manner as track I0. Tracks!) and ID are raised atthe same time as tracks H and I 2 are lowered,and vice versa.

Since the supplemental tracks 9, l0, H and I2 are spaced from the endsof tracks I and 2 to give room for the skids l3 and drums l4, it isnecessary to provide means for supporting the trucks 3 as they areadvanced acrossthe gaps between the track ends. This is accomplished byproviding auxiliary longitudinally extending skids 26 parallel to thetracks for a predetermined distance at each end and complementary skidshoes 21 on the ends of the trucks adapted to ride on the skids 26during the period when the wheels 5 of the trucks are unsupported by thetracks as the truck is being advanced onto or ofi from the supplementaltracks.

In order to position the trucks on'the supplemental tracks duringraising orlowering of the latter, the tracks have predetermineddepressions 28 in their upper surfaces for receiving the cars, meansdisposed at the end of the rails for supportingthe cars during transferfrom one set of railsto-the other, and horizontal screw conveyers at theend of the rails for periodically receiving and transferring a car fromone set of rails'to the other.

"2. In apparatus for manufacturing composite structures, a conveyersystem comprising two substantially parallel sets of rails, a pluralityof cars mounted on said rails, a reciprocable driving means forintermittently propelling the cars along the rails, means disposed atthe respective ends of the rails for supporting the cars during lateraltransfer, and a pair of horizontal screw conveyers at opposite ends ofthe rails for laterally transferring the cars from one set of rails tothe other.

3. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a plurality of cars arranged onsaid rails, means for propelling said cars along the rails, meansatopposite ends of the rails for transferring cars from one set of railsto the other, each transfer means comprising a car support disposed atthe 3 a plurality of cars arranged on said rails, means for propellingsaid cars along the rails, and means at opposite ends of the rails fortransferring cars from one set of rails to the other, each transfermeans comprising a pair of rail sections disposed at the ends of each ofthe sets of rails, means for raising and lowering said pairs of railsections into and out of alignment with the sets of rails to receive anddeliver the cars, and means disposed in cooperative relation with therail sections and the means for actuating them to transfer a car fromone set of rails to another. I r

5. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a plurality of cars arranged onsaid rails, means for propelling said cars along the rails, and means atopposite ends of the rails for transferring cars from one set of railsto the other, the transfer means comprising a pair of rail sectionsdisposed at the end of each of the sets of rails for movement alongvertical lines, a pair of screw conveyers extending between the pairs ofrail sections and means for raising and lowering the pairs of railsections into and out of alignment with the sets of rails to receive anddeliver cars, the screw conveyers being disposed to transfer the carsfrom one pair of rail sections to another as the pairs of rail sectionsare actuated through their paths.

6. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a'plurality of cars arranged onsaidrails, means for intermittently propelling said cars along therails, and means at opposite ends of the rails for transferring carsfrom one set of rails to the other, each transfer means comprising a carsupport disposed at the end of each of the sets of rails, screwsextending between said supports and means for intermittently raising andlowering said supports into and out of alignment with the sets of railsto receive cars from one set of rails and deliver the cars to the screwsand to remove cars from the screws and position the same for delivery tothe other set of rails, and a common drive for actuating the carpropelling means, the support raising and lowering means, and the screwsin properly timed relation.

7. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a plurality of cars arranged onsaid rails, means for intermittently propelling said cars along therails, and means at opposite ends of the rails for transferring carsfrom one set of rails to the other, each transfer means comprising, acar support disposed at the end of each of the sets of rails, screwconveyers extending between said supports, means for continuouslyrotating the screw conveyers, and means for intermittently raising andlowering the supports into and out of alignment with the sets of railsto receive cars thereon from one set of rails and deliver the cars tothe screw conveyers and to remove cars from the conveyers to positionthe same for delivery to the other set of rails, and a common drive foractuating the car propelling means and the support raising and loweringmeans in properly timed sequence and driving the conveyer rotatingmeans.

8. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a plurality of cars arranged onthe rails, skid shoes carried by the cars, means for propelling the carsalong the rails, and means at opposite ends of the rails fortransferring cars from one set of rails to the other, each transfermeans comprising, a car support disposed at the end of each of the setsof rails, a pair of skid tracks extending between said supports, theskid tracks being spaced apart a distance equal to the distance betweenthe skid shoes on the cars for cooperation therewith, means foractuating the supports to transfer the cars between the rails and skidtracks, and means for moving the cars on the skid tracks cooperative toeffect the transfer of the cars from one set of rails to another.

9. In an assembly system, a conveyer circuit comprising twosubstantially parallel sets of rails, a plurality of cars arranged onsaid rails, each of the cars having skid shoes and depending arms onopposite ends thereof, means for propelling the cars along the rails,and means at opposite ends of the rails for transferring cars from oneset of rails to the other, each transfer means comprising a verticallymovable pair of rail sections disposed at the end of each of the sets ofrails, a pair of skid tracks and a pair of screw conveyers extendingbetween the pairs of rail sections, the skid tracks being spaced apart adistance equal to the distance between the skid shoes and the screwconveyers spaced apart a distance equal to the distance between thedepending arms on the cars for cooperation therewith, and means forraising and lowering the rail sections into and out of alignment withthe sets of rails to receive cars from one set of rails and carry theskid shoes into and out of engagement with the skid tracks and. thedepending arms with the screw conveyers, to effect a transfer of thecars from one set of rails to the other.

10. In a conveyer system, a plurality of sets of rails having theircorresponding ends adjacent for making up a conveyer circuit, aplurality of s conveyer cars mounted for intermittent movement on saidrails, and means disposed at the corresponding adjacent ends of saidsets of rails for transferring each car as it travels to the end of oneset of rails laterally over to the corresponding adjacent end of anotherset of rails, said last named means comprising, means for supporting acar during lateral movement and continuously rotating means at each endof the car operating in synchronism to engage the car and move the samelaterally a predetermined distance from one track to another.

11. In a conveyer system, two sets of rails having their correspondingends adjacent for making up a conveyer circuit, a plurality of conveyercars mounted for movement on said rails, and means disposed at thecorresponding adjacent ends of said sets of rails for transferring eachcar as it travels to the end of one set of rails laterally over to thecorresponding adjacent end of another set of rails, said last namedmeans comprising, means for supporting a car during lateral movement, apair of screw elements continuously rotating in synchronism foreffecting lateral movement of a car, means on each car fo engaging saidscrew elements and means for effecting engage-ment of said last namedmeans with said screw elements at the beginning of a car transferringoperation and for disengaging the same at the completion of a cartransferring operation.

12. In a conveyer system, a plurality of sets of rails having theircorresponding ends adjacent for making up a conveyer circuit, aplurality of conveyer cars mounted for movement on said rails, and meansdisposed at the corresponding adjacent ends of said sets of rails fortransferring each car as it travels to the end of one set of railslaterally over to the corresponding adjacent end of another set ofrails, said last named means comprising, means for supporting a carduring lateral movement and continuously rotating means at each end ofthe car operating in synchronism to engage the car and move the samelaterally a predetermined distance from one track to another.

13. In a conveyer system a track, a conveyer truck mounted thereon,supporting means at the end of said track for receiving said truck,means for withdrawing said supporting means and disposing said truckupon a lateral transfer mechanism, said lateral transfer mechanism beingadapted to deliver said truck in alignment with a return conveyer track.

14. In an apparatus of the class described, a conveyer system comprisingtwo sets of rails, a conveyer truck mounted on one or" said rails andbeing of substantial length, means for receiving and supporting saidtruck during lateral transfer from one set of rails to the other, andscrew means for engaging said truck at each end to move it at uniformspeed during lateral transfer thereof.

JULIUS B. TIEDEMANN.

